Just Add Children!
Pataitai Stations - a program creating a
classroom environment that engages, empowers, supports, develops and celebrates
independent learning. A great recipe for success!
This study is
the reflection of teacher action research, finding a way to empower children with
language of and for learning, while utilising the power of self-direction and
choice. This
study is to investigate the possibilities created when children have the
opportunity to make decisions, plan and reflect in their learning with others,
even at the age of five.
Key Points
- This study has focused on Year 0 – 1
children of mixed gender.
- Children were given opportunities to
engage in a carefully selected grid of activities to encourage freedom of
choice and self-management.
- All activities are aligned to encompass
learning styles, skills, key competencies while integrating inquiry learning,
curriculum subject areas and multiple intelligences, - all on 1 page of
planning!
- The class acted as a community of
learners and embracing a holistic approach to learning and teaching.
- Information from discussions provided
formative assessment data that directed future learning opportunities.
Introduction
How many
opportunities do children in your class have to investigate learning? How much
freedom and choice should they be given to make choices? How can we provide
choice, cover all areas needed, while catering for individual and a diverse
range of needs? Questions such as these led to teacher action research to
construct a program that engages children and develop hauora, a
sense of belonging and a curiosity for learning in a new entrant classroom.
Embracing the
constructivist learning theories which suggests students build their own
meanings from their learning experiences, we should provide a common place
for playing and learning that will provides a starting point and platform for
discussions about the learning process and thinking skills. We are then able to allow children to make their own
decisions for their learning that is attached to responsibility and
accountability for achievement. “There is a
growing consensus that learning to learn is …the ultimate life skill for the 21st century…” (Carr &
Claxton, 2002)
How it works
Pataitai
means to investigate and be curious. Pataitai Stations are designed to develop
hauora, a sense of belonging and a curiosity for learning throughout the
transition from preschool to school. It is a holistic approach catering for the
mental, emotional, physical and social needs of the child through play and
inquiry learning. Each of the stations are carefully set up and designed to
create opportunities to maximise learning and growth through play at the
child’s own pace and developmental stage.
Stations (visual
cards) are displayed on the wall in a grid format. The children are invited to
place their names (cards) under a station of their choice. At this time
children are learning to plan, make decisions, negotiate and self-manage as
there can only be 3 people at each station. During the initial class discussion we review
stations available and introduce a new station if required. We found using a puppet to ask focus
questions, developing metacognition to assist in self-directed learning, distances
the control of learning from the teacher. Some children became so engaged with
the puppet they brought their own puppet from home to ask the class their own
focus questions, therefore taking leadership in learning.
During Pataitai time children are called up for writing
and spelling group teaching and tasks, enforcing the idea behind independent
learning as we are usually too busy to help them with their learning. If there
is a problem children are encouraged to ask for assistance from a peer who is
an expert or has done it before if they have already tried to problem solve
independently. These skills are discussed regularly at reflection time.
Reflection / Sharing
At the end of Pataitai time, we stop to share our
learning experiences, challenges, problems, and most importantly celebrate our
thinking and learning. This is the most crucial component of Pataitai time.
There have been many times we have celebrated perseverance with a task or
respect for their own and others’ learning. Sharing time not only acknowledges
success and effort, but also provides valuable opportunities to learn from
each, and create an awareness and curiosity for a new station and learning
opportunity from others learning experiences.
Children have the opportunity to share things of
interest, something new they discovered and reflect on key competency goals set
by class before going to stations. It is
also a valuable time for discussing challenges and problem solving strategies.
The holistic approach to share learning, achievements,
success, problems, new ideas inspires more learning, recognises others learning and motivate a ‘want’
for success. Throughout the reflection time we are continually developing
language of and for learning while identifying learning needs.
Description
Using the
planning sheet teachers consider activities and opportunities to maximise
learning and growth through play at the child’s own pace and developmental
stage. Following the programs important stages of planning,
investigating and reflection the children are learning become more
metacognitive about their learning, make decisions, negotiate and self-manage.
› How
do I know which station to choose?
› How
long do I stay at a station?
› How
do I know I am learning something?
› What
does good learning feel like?
Why
it works
Children own the
learning
› Engages
children
› Personalised
learning
› Purposeful
activities directed by learning needs
› Children’s
planning and reflection
› Teachers
planning and reflection
Enhanced
Metacognition
Changing classroom pedagogy, such as the use of
questioning and class discussion can be effective in deepening critical
thinking and student questioning. As
stated by (Brown and Campione, 1996) “…higher
order thinking skills are seen as part of upper school curricula, or worse
still, optional extras. We argue that this is absurd; thinking and reasoning should be part of
the curriculum from the earliest years…”)
Throughout Pataitai Time children are continually
learning to self-manage and make good social and learning choices. This is
encouraged through expectations, role modelling and providing engaging and
relevant activities appropriate for the children age and stage. Elements of choice and variation, within each
station, allow for children to learn from each other and develop language
skills between peers. The grid of stations is developed through age and growth
related skills aligned with key competencies. Multiple Intelligences are also
considered covering every child’s learning styles and needs. Key competencies
are our directing focus through setting goals and curriculum areas are all
covered.
The
children’s verbal reflections suggest that the children were able to voice what
they wanted to improve on or get better at and select a station that would
support them in that learning. Peers sharing their experiences provided new
avenues of thinking and achievements.
“The crucial action of constructing meaning is mental: it happens in the mind. Physical actions, hands-on experience may be necessary for learning, especially for children, but it is not sufficient; we need to provide activities which engage the mind as well as the hands.9 (Dewey called this reflective activity.)” (Hein,1991. p.15.)
Enhancing children’s identities as learners
The children became more aware that playing was a
form of learning. They developed ideas of what they were getting better at
(skill development) and what they were
learning. We observed children taking more risks in their learning and using
peer support to teach each other and support their skills in learning.
Research
Creation
of a learning community
Leaders emerged as their confidence grew, and
understanding of how they could actually teach each other and learn from each
other. They supported their peers by modelling their own learning for each
other clarifying and confirm their own learning as well as having on task
discussions with their peers.
Research
Examples:
At a cooperative
station, the vet clinic, Kalan reflected his idea of what roles occur in a vet
clinic. “At the vet clinic we have to write down information about our pets. We
write down the pet name and their phone number. We have been learning to talk
to other people and ask good questions.”
During a fine motor
skill activity Ty reflected on his achievements with the class. I tried to make
a man climbing up a big rope with my pipe cleaners. It was tricky making the
spiral part at the top. I had to twist and turn it around.
During a fine motor
activity Ella reflected on how she was trying to improve her learning. “I
wanted to try something new so I tried to make a sun. I was learning how to cut
carefully to make my sun look great. The tricky part was cutting the lines
straight to the middle.”
During a cooperative activity two boys reflected
“We like to sing with our ukulele’s together. We are learning to use the
ukulele properly and to tell stories and sing songs with music. We are really
proud of how well we can play the ukulele now.”
Implications
for and relevance to teachers
This program creates opportunities to become in
tune with your students learning preferences and stage of developmental skills
levels, identify learning needs and successes. As teachers we are then able to
respond to the diversity in the classroom, individual starting points and
individual learning needs. Most importantly though we have created
opportunities for developing language skills in reflecting on learning,
identifying next steps in learning, inspiring and motivating others by shared
experiences, and goal setting in their learning. . “The key factor
at the heart of successful scaffolding is not only the ability of the more able
learner/teacher to offer appropriate help, but also their ability to withdraw
or fade the support they offer when the learner is ready.” (Luckin &
Hammerton, 2002)sited http://ictenhancedlearningandteaching.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/a-discussion-about-the-impact-of-the-study-of-metacognition-on-classroom-practice/
The development of the planning grid was cruicial
to ensure we were covering all opportunities for engaging children’s learning.
While the main focus is key competencies of cognitive, self-management, using
language and symbols, participating and contributing and relating to others
another major focus were the areas required for growth in these skill areas ie
gross and fine motor skills, cooperative and.
Another component we were not able to include in the grid were Multiple
Intelligences which ensured we were catering for the different and divers
learning styles we have in our classrooms. The intelligences are displayed at
the bottom of the page for consideration when planning activities.
Teachers’ planning carefully considers 3 main
components – key competencies, multiple intelligences and developmental areas
of growth. It is only through our observations
and listening to children’s
reflections, that we create new stations, amend ones existing and at times add
new stations at the children’s request.
Effective teachers teach metacognitively, reflecting on
their own thinking and children’s thinking as learners. They engage in
reflection and planning with colleagues and use a range of methods to help to
identify how pedagogical practices can be improved to benefit children and
further increase their effectiveness. (Farquhar, Sarah-Eve, 2003)
References
Farquhar, Sarah-Eve, (2003),Quality
Teaching Early Foundations: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES) sited http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2515/5963
Luckin & Hammerton, 2002)sited http://ictenhancedlearningandteaching.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/a-discussion-about-the-impact-of-the-study-of-metacognition-on-classroom-practice/
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